Sarah writes in her book I Quit Sugar: Simplicious. “If they don’t have pink grapefruit, get over it.”
The same could be said for any fresh fruit and veg that’s in and out of season during the year.
These days, thanks to mass agriculture and easy air travel, many of us have access to seasonal fruit and veg round the clock (if we’re willing to pay for it). But really, why go out of your way for something that’s travelled thousands of miles to get to you when delicious, healthy and cheap produce is right on your doorstep?
As we head into summer in the Southern Hemisphere, we thought we’d recap why we always choose to buy seasonally (and locally).
Seasonal produce is healthier.
Because seasonal produce hasn’t been lying around in the back of a truck or stored in a fridge for months on end, it’s naturally going to retain more good stuff.
Fruit and veg that has to cross oceans before hitting the shelves is usually picked before it’s ripe, meaning it hasn’t had the chance to reach its full nutrient potential. And the nutrients it does contain tends to break down a bit in transit.
Plus, buying fresh, seasonal produce is the easiest way to Just Eat Real Food, and cut the processed crap.
Seasonal produce is cheaper.
Supply and demand, people! When something’s in season, there’s a heck of a lot more of it around. Which means buying seasonal goodies is much easier on the wallet (and supports local growers).
Plus, producers need to factor in the travel time of their goods to their retail price. And it’s a lot cheaper to drive your potatoes a few clicks to the local farmers’ market than ship it to the other side of the planet!
Seasonal produce is better for the environment.
When produce is in season, farmers aren’t struggling to grow it. Which means they don’t need to use fertilisers, growth agents, copious amounts of water or energy-draining temperature control to produce a few peaches.
And that’s not to mention the carbon miles involved in shipping produce to its final destination. As Sarah says: “Buying asparagus from Mexico or pink grapefruit from Peru is criminal.”
Most of all, seasonal produce tastes better.
Fact is, if you’re buying fruit and veg that’s harvested around the same time you’re eating it, it’s just going to be fresher, crunchier and generally tastier.
Eating seasonally also means your naturally introducing a variety of fruit and veg into your diet, which your body will love as much as your taste buds do.
So how you find out what’s growing on near you right now?
As you might expect, produce seasonality varies widely, even within Australia. Generally speaking, stone fruits love the summertime, root veggies are all about the colder months and fresh greens are at their best in spring.
Check out Seasonal Food Guide Australia to see what you should be snapping up at your local farmers’ markets this weekend. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, Eat the Seasons is a great resource for both the UK and the U.S.
What seasonal produce are you loving right now?
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